Foundation garment



1951 M. LAGUZZI 2,537,412

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 20, 1948 2 sheets-sheet 1 M720 layuzzz' Z6 ai 4,6 g;

Jan. 9, 1951 LAGUZZ] 2,537,412

FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 20, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mizrz'a l yuzzz' My invention relates Patented Jan. 9, 1951 e FOUNDATION GARMENT Mario Laguzzi, New York, N. Y.,' assignor to Poirette Corsets, Inc., New .York, N. Y.

Application July '20, 1948, Serial No. 39,636

4 Claims.

confining garments and more particularly to girdles, and an object is to provide an improved lightweight type of girdle having the unusual features of strength and support which are ordinarily found only in corsets or girdles of a considerably heavier construction.

Another object is to provide a garment in which the body lines below the hips of the wearer are smoothly and evenly molded by evenly distributing the stretch and the buttocks supported and held up and properly molded, together with means comprising novel arrangements of elastic bands at the front and back of the sides bereft of seams therebeneath to properly support the buttocks and reinforce the garment from the upper portions of the sides thereof, while elimihating unsightly bulges and giving the'wearer ease and freedom of movement.

To the foregoing objects, and others which may hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more specifically referred to and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my foundation garment; r

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the foundation garment; 7 -'Figure 3 is a side elevation of the foundation garment;

Figure 4 is a section taken'on the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figurel. v r

Figure 6 is an enlargedfragmentary detailed inside elevation showing the front elastic bands;

Figure '7 is a section similar to Figures 4 and 5 of a modification.

It has heretofore been well known to provide girdles having either elastic or non-elastic front and back portions and with such portions connected adjacent their respective ends by webs of stretchable two-way or elastic material 7 The present invention contemplates a garment of this general character, that is to say, one in'which the front portion is composed of elastic material having longitudinal or one-way stretch up and down but being non-elastic and non-stretchable laterally orcircumferentially of thegarment.

The back portion is similarly constructed as to to a-foundation or body type of material as the front portion or sect on, being also composed of elastic material having longitudinal of one-way stretch up and down. The sides are preferably of elastic material which is stretchable both laterally, circumferentially or horizontally and'longitudinally, up and down or transversely of the circumferential dimension of the garment. These side portions are similarly constructed. 5 g

Secured to each of these side portions and extending from the back portion at points adjacent the lower portions of the buttocks 'of a wearer of the garment'when the garment is in normal wearing position are reinforcing bands or strips of elastic which with the rear portion of the garment extending under the buttocks serves to support or hold up the same and give additional strength at such points. These bands or strips may be either separate strips secured to the said sides of the garment by stitching or strips formed by rows of elastic stitching such as bands enclosed in stitching to give the same effect, These strips which extend as stated, run to a position at the top or immediately below the top of the side portions of the girdle.

Joined to or extending from the upper ends of said rear strips at the upper portions of the.

side portions of the garment are one or more additional strips'of' the type aforesaid, which run in an opposite direction downwardly on the side portions and are secured with the upper portionsof the respective sides of the front portion of the garment below the top thereof. The

, webs of elastic material between and under said reinforcing bands or strips which thus covers the hips of the wearer is free of any seam and is smooth. By the use and position of the said additional strips of elastic there is accomplished the result that the body lines, especially below thehips of the wearer are smoothly and evenly molded as the point of stretch instead of being straight across the side of the garment as would otherwise occur, is distributed. The buttocks of the wearer are thus supported andproperly molded by being suspended from the upper portion of the sides of the garment, this eliminatingunsightly bulges and giving the wearer ease and;

freedomof movement. The garment is further designed to provide an improved lightweight type of girdle having the unusual features of strength and support which are ordinarily found only in corsets or girdles of a considerably heavier construction, which means that the present girdlecan be made of entirely relatively lightweight.

material.

inside folded seams S of the edges of the material of said portions at such points to form a tubular garment with an upper waist portion i5 .and' an outwardly flaring downwardly enlarging lower portion 16 therebeneath at the bottom to encirlple the body of the wearer at the waist and hips.

The pair of oppositely disposed side portions or sections Ii) are made up of webs or two-way stretchable or elastic or woven latex or rubber and cloth material, capable of stretching in any directionfbut more especially longitudinally. or up 'a n'd down as Well as laterally or circumferenmany 'offthe garment a'nd body encircled thereby. The front and back portions II and I2 are of one-way stretchable or elastic or woven latex or rubber and cloth material capable ofistretching only longitudinally or up and down, but being non-elastic and "non-stretchable laterally or circumferentially of the garment and body encircled therebylff The ends of the oppositely disposed elastic Webs or side portions It! at the front are connected to the sidesor ends of the; front portion It at the'l'mar'gins l3 by rows of zig-zag stitching R and for the purposes of the present "improvement, the front ends of portions l0 'areconcavedand the sides of the front portion H convex to conform thereto and connected thereto by stitching alongthe seams at such points preferably with the meeting and'joined edges turned back oroppositely folded and elastic lengthwise to form strips or bands along same Portion i i is substantially lenticular in shape with truncated ends at the top and bottom thus tapering in opposite directions with-the widest portion at the center and the "ends extending to the top and bottom edges or margins H and [8 respectively which are provided with folds o'r bindings with elastic strips or bands 19 on the inside stretchable only at" the websor side portions i0 and not at the vertical front and rear panels or portions- H and IZ, and suitably ornamented at the bottom if d'esired. I i L e I The opposite ends of the webs or portions IE at the back are connected to the sides or ends of the back portion 12 at" the margins M or rows of zig-zag stitching Rthe same as at the front ends of portions ID, are generally concaved and thesides of back 'portion l2 convex fand joined in thesa'me manner as portions ii and l I. How'- ever, back portion l2 widens or; enlarges downwardly for a greater portion of its length to points 20 below its median line' and the buttocks as'- seen in Figure 3 and then narrows or tapers more sharply to its lower end at the bottom edge or margin l8; 7 At the widest portion or points 20 portions In and l2 are puffed or puckered out to accommodate the buttocks and extendinwardly under the same below the hips of the wearer smoothly and evenly molded or shaped to the body to give support to the buttocks and eliminate unsightly bulges as well as prevent movement of the parts so supported in walking. Stocking supporting garters 2i and 22 are provided at the 4 front and back at the bottom edges of webs or side portions I0 spaced at each side of front and back portions H and I2, and secured at and between the folds or bindings 23 at margin I8 and elastic bands or strips l9 by the zig-zag rows of stitching R at such points.

Secured to each of the webs or side portions 10 and extending from the upper portions thereof djacen th t e amero Ha d strip at the waist band and extending orrunning inwardly and downwardly in forward inclined downwardly divergent positions are upper and lower reinforcing bands or strips 24 and 25 of elastic with rows of zig-zag stitching R joined at the top portions and spaced one above the ,other at the bottom and secured at seams S with zig z'a stitching rows R at the upper portions of the respectivegsides of the front portion H of the garment above the median line thereof to give support at the front and to front garters 2!. The bands or strips 24 and 25 which are straight and arcuate'.-fre spectively as shown, may beleither separate "strips secured to said sides preferably at theiinside by stitching or strips or seams formed by. rowsof elastic stitching R, such as elastic bands enclosed in stitching to give the same effect. c s

Also secured to each of the webs or side poruonsm and extending from upper edge or margin H and outwardly inclined upper ends of bands or strips 24 and 25. in outwardly divergent relation relative tothe latter strips are similar strips, bands orseams 26 with rows of zig-zag stitching R which are. joined at margins or seams I4 at the sides ofback portion 1 2 and rear ends of webs or side portions iillat or near points 20 Where the bulges .areformed at the rear. Strips 2B are preferably arcu'ate, as. shown and extend from the backportion .at points adjacent or slightly above the lower portionsof the buttocks of a wearer l of: the garment when the garment is in normal wearing position to or immediately below the top edge or margin ll of the side portions 10 of the girdle at binding or elastic waist band 19 atthe top of the garment in intersecting relation to and acrossthe upper ends of strips 24 and 25 to which it is secured by rows of elastic stitching B along same asin connection with strips 24 and 25.

Strips 26 thus extending downwardly in,- rearwardly inclined positions at the back in divergent relationtothe strips 24 and 25 extending downwardly in forwardly inclined positions at the front and the areas or..portions. of elastic material of webs or sides it! between and under the reinforcinglbands or strips 24 and 25 and 26 which thus covers the hips of the wearer, are free of any seams and smooth thereby giving greater comfort to the wearer and producing an improved appearance undera dress or skirt of the wearer. "In the modification shown in Figure '7, the strips, bands, scams: or folded points S as seen in Figure Bare covered on the inside by an elastic strip or tape 21 to cover the strips or bands 26 toward the skin of the wearer and also the rows R'of elastic zig-zag stitching and similarly stitched at its opposite edges directly to the elastic webs H] as indicated at R to give smoother surf-aces at the inside for body contact.

, What'is claimed is;

fl In'a foundation'garment for womens Wear, a body structure of girdle-like form including a pairof oppositely dis'posedelastic side webs, an elastic one-way longitudinal stretch front panel portion connecting the side edge portion of one side web to the side edge portion of the other side web, an elastic one way longitudinal back' panel portion connecting the other side edge portion of said one side web to the other side edge portion of said other side web, and oppositely disposed sets of elastic members of tape-like form secured to the center of the top ends of said side webs and extending in downwardly divergent relation and attached to the side edge portions of the front and back panel portions, said elastic members being joined together at the top, the front and back panel portions tapering in opposite directions, the front portion being widest substantially medially and the back portion being widest near the bottom and having an arcuate configuration conforming to the curvature of the buttocks where the widest portion joins the webs and extending inwardly beneath the buttocks to mold and support the same.

2. In a foundation garment for women's wear, a body structure of girdle-like form including a pair of oppositely disposed elastic side webs, an elastic one-way longitudinal stretch front panel portion connecting the side edge portion of one side web to the side edge portion of the other side web, an elastic one Way longitudinal back panel portion connecting the other side edge portion of said one side web to the other side edge portion of said other side web, and oppositely disposed sets of elastic members of tape-like form secured to the center of the top ends of said side webs and extending in downwardly divergent relation and attached to the side edge portions of the front and back panel portions, said members intersecting at the top and providing smooth seamless areas therebeneath to fit over the hips of the wearer.

3. In a foundation garment for womens wear, a body structure of girdle-like form including a pair of oppositely disposed elastic side webs, an elastic one-way longitudinal stretch front panel portion connecting the side edge portion of one side web to the side edge portion of the other side web, an elastic one way longitudinal back panel portion connecting the other side edge portion of said one side web to the other side edge portion of said other side web, and oppositely disposed sets of elastic members of tape-like form secured to the center of the top ends of said side webs and extending in downwardly divergent relation and attached to the side edge portions of the front and back panel portions, said members intersecting at the top and providing smooth seamless areas therebeneath, said members being joined to the front panel portion adjacent and above the median line thereof and to the back panel portion below the median line thereof.

4. In a foundation garment for womens wear, a body structure of girdle-like form including a pairof oppositely disposed elastic side'webs, an elastic one-way longitudinal stretch front panel portion connecting the side edge portion of one side web to the side edge portion of the other side web, an elastic one way longitudinal back panel portion connecting the other side edge portion of said one side web to the other side edge portion of said other side web, and oppositely disposed sets of elastic members of tape-like form secured to the center of the top ends of said side webs and extending in downwardly divergent relation and attached to the side edge portions of the front and back panel portions,-said members intersecting at the top and providing smooth seamless areas therebeneath, said members being joined to the front panel portion adjacent and above the median line thereof and to the back panel portion below the median line thereof, said front and back panel portions tapering in opposite directions up and down with the widest part of the front panel portion substantially at the median line and the widest part of the back panel portion below the median line to form bulging portions adjacent the juncture of the rear members with the back panel portion to fit over and under the buttocks therebeneath to support and hold up same in smooth molded form thereto.

MARIO LAGUZZI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Jasper Feb. 27, 1945 

